The travel insurance that could pay for your drinks

After all, isn’t travel insurance about covering those unforeseen events like medical treatment or losing your passport or bags?

Yes it is, but read the small print and there’s actually many circumstances you may be covered for that you simply didn’t realise.

Drinks at the bar

Score a hole-in-one on the golf course while you're away and tradition dictates you should stump up for drinks for everyone in the clubhouse.

But this gesture can prove costly if everyone’s keen to help you celebrate.

However you can claim back the cost of your round, up to £250, with Co-op Bank’s worldwide travel insurance which is included with its Privilege account.

To make a claim you and a witness need to sign a copy of your scorecard, and get it countersigned by a club professional.

You’ll also need to send off a dated golf club bar receipt and charge slip for your green fees.

Riding elephants and camels

Leaping on the back of everything from horses, camels, elephants or even a donkey for a tour of Egypt's Valley of the Kings can seem perfectly normal on holiday.

But will your travel insurance policy pay out if you come a cropper and fall off?

Some companies will cover certain activities while others will offer adventure cover as an add-on.

Columbus Direct is one company that automatically includes cover for all of the above, plus other activities like swimming with dolphins.

But be sure to stick to the terms of your policy - don’t do any activities against medical advice or after a couple of drinks as you may not be covered.

Watching TV

If you’re unlucky enough to end up in hospital abroad your medical bills should be covered by your travel insurance policy.

But what about the cost of taxis so your family can visit you, or costs for using the phone to call back to the UK?

Co-op Bank’s travel cover pays out up to £25 per 24 hours for incidentals like TV rental, which can be costly in hospital.

It also covers the cost of phone calls and transport for family or friends who are with you.

Missing your bus

How many times have you waited for a bus that didn’t show or broke down?

This can mean added stress if you’re on your way to catch a flight or join a pre-booked tour.

If you miss a pre-booked bus some insurers will shell out for the cost of any extra accommodation or transport needed.

Missed transport cover is the bit to look for on your policy. This is automatically included with LV= Premier travel insurance.

It covers you up to £5,000 if, for example, you fall ill and can’t make your tour bus, or if the bus you’re travelling on breaks down which has repercussions for the rest of your journey.

Car parking and kennel fees

Being delayed on your journey home due to floods or volcanic rumblings can cost you dearly if you overrun on your car park stay or have to fork out for extra boarding at the kennels or cattery for your pets, for example.

Make sure your policy includes natural catastrophe cover, which will cover you in such instances.

Direct Travel policies include a clause which means it will pay up to £50 per day, up to a maximum of £250, on both car park costs and kennel fees if you’ve opted for natural catastrophe cover.

You must log into facebook before your comment is posted. Do you wish to connect to Facebook? OKCancel

Thanks for submitting your comment. It will appear after editor approval.

We were unable to post your comment to Twitter.

We were unable to post your comment to Facebook.

We were unable to post your comment to LinkedIn.

We restrict rapid posting of multiple comments for quality reasons. You have already posted a comment within the last several seconds. Please try again later.

We limit the number of comments, reviews, and postings an individual user can submit over a given period for quality reasons. You have currently reached that limit. Please try resubmitting your comment again later.

We are unable to add your comment at this time.

We are unable to add your comment. Are you logged in?

We will not add your comment until you remove the following words: .

We're sorry, but the comment you are replying to has been removed from the site.

Please let us know what you think.

Please shorten your comment to characters.

characters left character left characters must be removed character must be removed

You must log into facebook before your comment is posted. Do you wish to connect to Facebook? OKCancel

Write a reply

Thanks for submitting your comment. It will appear after editor approval.

We were unable to post your comment to Twitter.

We were unable to post your comment to Facebook.

We were unable to post your comment to LinkedIn.

We restrict rapid posting of multiple comments for quality reasons. You have already posted a comment within the last several seconds. Please try again later.

We limit the number of comments, reviews, and postings an individual user can submit over a given period for quality reasons. You have currently reached that limit. Please try resubmitting your comment again later.

We are unable to add your comment at this time.

We are unable to add your comment. Are you logged in?

We will not add your comment until you remove the following words: .

We're sorry, but the comment you are replying to has been removed from the site.

Please let us know what you think.

Please shorten your comment to characters.

characters left character left characters must be removed character must be removed

Travel insurance

Sue Hayward

Sue Hayward is a personal finance broadcaster, journalist and author. Sue talks and writes on money matters including chatting on BBC Radio & TV as well as contributing to magazines, websites and newspapers. Sue's also written two books; the latest of which is 'How To Get The Best Deal'.